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Iraq’s Zaidi, Saudi crown prince discuss security as Houthi attacks escalate
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HIGHGeneral
Roadside bomb kills Iraqi army brigadier, soldier near Kirkuk
A roadside bomb around Kirkuk has killed an Iraqi army brigadier and a soldier, marking the second attack on Iraqi security forces in the area this month.
ARAB NEWS ·
CRITICAL
Iran will not trade its nuclear insurance policy for worthless American promises
Iran will not trade its nuclear insurance policy for worthless American promises Ali Naghieh on Wed, 10/07/2026 - 15:45 A durable agreement to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz must make concessions progressively harder to reverse on both sides Iranian missiles are seen on display near a portrait of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, at Baharestan Square in Tehran on 28 September 2026 (Atta Kenare/AFP) Off US President Donald Trump last month rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen th
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HIGHAerial
Iraq and Saudi Arabia: Toward a stable regional order
As I watched the various branches of our armed forces and security services on Sovereignty Day, I reflected on the immense responsibility entrusted to us to safeguard our people’s security and stability. It was a moment that reflected the progress of a nation working to strengthen its state institutions and restore its role. It also reminded me that sovereignty is not merely an occasion for celebration. It is a daily responsibility, reflected in how a state governs its affairs, protects its peop
ARAB NEWS ·
CRITICAL
War in the Middle East is deepening global inequality, IMF says
War in the Middle East is deepening global inequality, IMF says MEE staff on Tue, 10/13/2026 - 11:50 International Monetary Fund also points to destabilising impact of AI, as economic leaders meet in Bangkok Children pose for a photo in a makeshift camp for people displaced by clashes between Iran-aligned Houthi fighters and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces, near Aden, Yemen, 7 October 2026 (Reuters) Off Wars across the Middle East are deepening global inequality, the International Mon
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HIGHGeneral
Middle East and Central Asia’s economy to shrink in 2026 amid war, IMF says
Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar face double-digit declines in GDP amid the fallout from the US-Israel war on Iran.
AL JAZEERA ·
CRITICAL
UNDERSTANDING THE NEW AGE OF WAR
“And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?” *— William Butler Yeats, The Second Coming* OPENING NOTEWilliam Butler Yeats’ chilling 1920 poem had a backdrop: World War I, the flu pandemic, the Russian Revolution and a sense of impending doom, an inflection point. The gyre is widening and turning again. As wars rage in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and West Asia, it is important to understand what’s happening and why. Questions abound. The answers
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HIGHGround
Australia politics live: Labor’s $630m funding boost for charities; Greens at odds about Ukraine weapons
Follow the day’s news live. Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Australia sending tanks, weapons, infantry and ammunition to Ukraine has put Greens politicians at odds. Sarah Hanson-Young on Monday said she supported giving Kyiv military aid if that’s what was needed, contradicting her party’s freshly minted leader David Shoebridge during his first sitting week in the top job. We always come from a position of wanting to de-escalate military violence ... we want to see
GUARDIAN WORLD ·
HIGHNuclear/Missile
Iran launches drone strikes on Iranian Kurdish opposition camp in northern Iraq
Iran has carried out more than 1,000 drone and missile attacks on the Kurdistan Region. Many of them targeted Kurdish opposition groups.
JERUSALEM POST ·
HIGHGeneral
Kurdistan Workers' Party militants quit some camps in north Iraq, Turkish sources say
ANKARA: Militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have withdrawn from four camps in northern Iraq in the first step of an intended disbandment, Turkish security sources said on Monday. Turkiye’s parliament in August passed a law to set out parameters for the PKK’s dissolution as part of a peace process hoped to end a decades-old conflict that has killed tens of thousands and ravaged the mainly Kurdish southeast. The legislation provides protections for many former militants wh
ARAB NEWS ·
CRITICAL
'Except Mecca and Medina': Chaos across Saudi airports as Houthis claim Riyadh strikes
'Except Mecca and Medina': Chaos across Saudi airports as Houthis claim Riyadh strikes MEE staff on Mon, 10/12/2026 - 10:38 Riyadh and Dammam airports were reported closed in a FlightRadar24 update, while Jeddah faced widespread cancellations and delays A CCTV screengrab shows the moment King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh was hit in a Houthi strike, 10 October 2026 (Saudi Media Ministry/AFP) Off Terminals across Saudi Arabia were left in chaos on Monday after repeated attacks on Riy
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CRITICAL
Houthi forces warn against use of Saudi airports following Riyadh attack
Houthi forces warn against use of Saudi airports following Riyadh attack Fleur Hargreaves on Sun, 10/11/2026 - 13:56 Warning comes one day after an alleged Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh airport forced authorities to halt operations Military spokesman of Yemen's Houthi group Yahya Saree addresses a Palestine solidarity rally in the capital Sanaa on 2 May 2025 (Mohammed Huwais/AFP) Off Yemen’s Houthis have delivered renewed warnings to stay away from all Saudi airports except Mecca a
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CRITICAL
Timeline: A concise history of emergency rule in Pakistan
The federal government on Sunday imposed an emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following the president’s approval of the recommendations by the federal cabinet. The measures have been approved under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution, the President House said in a statement. The two provisions pertain to the proclamation of emergency and governor’s rule. Article 232 of the Constitution deals with “proclamation of emergency on account of war and internal disturbance”, while
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CRITICAL
Iraq, EU leaders denounce Houthi attack on Riyadh airport
Iraq, EU leaders denounce Houthi attack on Riyadh airport Several international leaders have issued condemnations on Sunday following the Houthi attack a day earlier on Saudi Arabia's Riyadh airport. Iraq called for a "comprehensive cessation of military operations", adding that the attack endangered "regional security and stability" and threatened civilians, according to a statement from the prime minister's spokesman Sabah al-Numan. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said he "firmly co
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CRITICAL
SMOKERS’ CORNER: False Flags and Credibility
Illustration by Abro Last week, reports emerged that an Israeli plumber had thwarted an alleged attempt by the co-pilot of a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv to hijack/crash the aircraft. Interestingly, as further details were made public, social media platforms were flooded with thousands of posts alleging that the incident was a false flag operation orchestrated by the far-right Israeli government and its allied countries’ intelligence agencies. I will not delve into the numerous anomal
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HIGHAerial
Islamic regime attacks against Kurdish forces affect both Kurds in Iran, Iraq as tensions rise
More than 1,000 drones have been fired against Kurdish forces in Iraq, while Kurds in both Iran and Iraq fear that the strikes will reach their homes.
JERUSALEM POST ·
CRITICAL
Israeli politician says assassinating Ali Khamenei was a ‘mistake’
Israeli politician says assassinating Ali Khamenei was a ‘mistake’ The leader of Israel’s Democrats party on Saturday has called the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei a “mistake”. “I think, unequivocally, the elimination of Khamenei, the father, was a mistake - not because he didn’t deserve to die, only because it doesn’t serve the interests of the State of Israel,” Yair Golan said. He also added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s goal of toppling the Iranian go
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HIGHGeneral
Senior Iranian officials hit back at Rubio after Athens speech
Senior Iranian officials hit back at Rubio after Athens speech Senior Iranian officials have criticised the comments made by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about Iranian history during a speech in Athens on Wednesday in which he drew parallels between ancient Greco-Persian conflicts and modern tensions between Tehran and Washington. Ebrahim Azizi, the head of the Iranian parliament’s national security commission, wrote in a post on X on Saturday that “a country whose history began with the m
MIDDLE EAST EYE ·
CRITICAL
Trump sows doubt on plan to livestream US military execution
US President Donald Trump has cast doubt on whether authorities will livestream the firing squad execution of the perpetrator of a deadly attack on American soldiers, a plan that has drawn broad and bipartisan condemnation, it emerged on Saturday. Nidal Hasan’s execution — scheduled for December 3 at Fort Hood, Texas, where he gunned down 13 people in 2009 — is set to be the first by a US military firing squad since 1945. A Pentagon official told AFP on Thursday that the execution would be strea
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CRITICAL
Outrage grows over plan to livestream US military firing squad execution
Outrage grows over plan to livestream US military firing squad execution Condemnation of US plans for a public execution by military firing squad escalated Friday, as Vice President JD Vance cast doubt on whether it would be livestreamed as proposed and insisted he would not watch if it is. Nidal Hasan's execution -- scheduled for December 3 at Fort Hood, Texas, where he gunned down 13 people in 2009 -- is set to be the first by US military firing squad since 1945. Asked about the planned lives
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CRITICAL
Iran weighs US response as Trump rules out attack before midterms
• Araghchi says Tehran can reply to proposal within days; Iranian atomic chief vows not to give up enrichment • Centcom terms Hormuz closure claims ‘false’ TEHRAN: Iran announced on Thursday that it was still reviewing Washington’s response to a proposal under which the Strait of Hormuz could reopen within seven days, as US President Donald Trump indicated that he will not attack Iran before November’s midterm elections amid ‘productive talks’. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran
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HIGHAerial
Two drones attack Iranian opposition sites in Iraqi Kurdistan — TV
No information about deaths or casualties is available at this point
TASS ·
CRITICAL
US and Lebanon hosting Syrian general wanted for war crimes: Report
US and Lebanon hosting Syrian general wanted for war crimes: Report MEE staff on Thu, 10/08/2026 - 17:27 US and Lebanese intelligence agencies are harboring a former Assad official who has promised to help them locate Austin Tice This picture shows the US embassy building in Awkar, east of Beirut, on 23 June 2025 (Joseph Eid/AFP) Off A former Syrian general wanted for crimes against humanity is being bankrolled and hosted by the US and Lebanese authorities, according to a joint NPR and BBC
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CRITICAL
Iranian press review: 80m barrels behind oil minister’s resignation
Iranian press review: 80m barrels behind oil minister’s resignation MEE correspondent on Thu, 10/08/2026 - 09:56 Meanwhile, an analyst says US withdrawal from Iraq could disadvantage Iran, tighter western immigration rules push Iranians towards China and Russia, and Armenia emerges as a key trade route for Iran The Iranian-flagged cargo ship Nora Bandar Abbas docked at the port of Umm Qasr in southern Iraq on 17 September 2026 (AFP) Off Minister falls victim to oil brokers network Local medi
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HIGHAerial
Iran resumes flights at Imam Khomeini International Airport
Iran resumes flights at Imam Khomeini International Airport Iranian state news announced that international flights have resumed at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport after the suspension during the 40-day war. The first flight, operated by Iraqi Airways, successfully landed at the airport on Thursday after taking off from Iraq's Najaf Airport.
MIDDLE EAST EYE ·
HIGHNaval
US wraps up military mission in Iraq, giving Baghdad room to strengthen China ties
The US has ended its military mission in Iraq, a move analysts said could give Baghdad more room for diversified partnerships and indirectly benefit China’s energy and commercial interests. But they cautioned that the shift was unlikely to create a power vacuum for Beijing to fill, with China lacking both the ambition and capacity to take on the US security role. The United States formally ended its Operation Inherent Resolve mission in Iraq on September 30, completing a withdrawal agreed on in.
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·
CRITICAL
Analysis: Is China learning to live without Iranian oil?
In the cat-and-mouse game of US naval blockades and oil sanctions, small, fleet-footed independent refineries in China may be gifting Washington the economic leverage over Tehran that it has been struggling to achieve. It is not that China’s so-called teapot refineries are taking sides. Rather, it is pragmatic economic self-interest that is increasingly pushing the Chinese to replace sanctioned Iranian crude oil with supplies from Iraq and Qatar. Citing three major oil-trading houses, Reuters on
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CRITICAL
Why Hamas believed the status quo was more dangerous than its 7 October gamble
Why Hamas believed the status quo was more dangerous than its 7 October gamble Sami Al-Arian on Wed, 10/07/2026 - 08:48 Three years into Israel's genocide in Gaza, the consequences of a decision driven by siege, settlement expansion and assaults on Al-Aqsa are still unfolding A Palestinian man holds a banner reading "The Israeli siege has turned Gaza into a big prison" at a protest against the blockade near the Kerem Shalom crossing in Rafah, southern Gaza, on 10 August 2023 (Said Khatib/AFP
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CRITICAL
Naza: Palestinian testimony should not need Israeli validation
Naza: Palestinian testimony should not need Israeli validation Dr Omar Abdel-Mannan on Wed, 10/07/2026 - 07:30 A film built on Israeli soldiers' accounts wins acclaim, while the Palestinian doctors and journalists who documented the genocide in Gaza for three years struggle for recognition Rachel Szor and Yuval Abraham, with the festival's artistic director Dennis Lim, speak onstage at the premiere of Naza at the New York Film Festival on 26 September 2026 (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images v
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CRITICAL
US senator says he was denied access to damaged military base in Qatar
US senator says he was denied access to damaged military base in Qatar MEE staff on Tue, 10/06/2026 - 16:20 Chris Murphy said he was able to meet US diplomats in the Gulf, but the Pentagon prevented him from visiting al-Udeid air base Senator Christopher Murphy speaks to reporters following a Democratic policy luncheon at the US Capitol Building in Washington, DC, on 16 June 2026 (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/AFP) Off Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said on Tuesday that the US Department of W
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HIGHGeneral
Islamic State claims responsibility for attack that killed policeman near Iraq's Kirkuk
Despite the defeat of the Islamic State’s self-declared caliphate nearly a decade ago, the group retains sleeper cells in Iraq, Iraqi security officials told Reuters ahead of the US withdrawal.
JERUSALEM POST ·
CRITICAL
Thousands transferred from Syria to Iraq face possible execution over alleged IS links, HRW says
Thousands transferred from Syria to Iraq face possible execution over alleged IS links, HRW says Alex MacDonald on Mon, 10/05/2026 - 13:16 Dozens of countries have stalled repatriating their nationals as Baghdad prepares to prosecute alleged Islamic State members under its counterterrorism law An Iraqi police patrol transports Iraqi detainees into the grounds of the Karkh Courthouse in Baghdad on 5 October 2026 (Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP) Off Thousands of men and boys suspected of links to the Isl
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HIGHGeneral
Iran poised to exploit security vacuum as US leaves Iraq
The end of the US military mission in Iraq leaves the Kurdistan region facing a severe security vacuum. As Erbil grapples with deep internal divisions, Tehran is well positioned to make strategic gains.
DEUTSCHE WELLE ·
CRITICAL
Turkey supplies Korkut air defence systems to Ukraine, sources say
Turkey supplies Korkut air defence systems to Ukraine, sources say Ragip Soylu on Mon, 10/05/2026 - 11:47 Ukrainian officials say anti-drone systems have proven effective against Russian attacks, with further purchases dependent on price Chairman of Indonesian defence group Republikorps Norman Joesoef (L) shakes hands with Turkish defence company Aselsan's CEO Ahmet Akyol at an arms fair at the ExCeL centre, in London, on 9 September 2025 (Adrian Dennis/AFP) Off Turkey supplied anti-drone ai
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CRITICAL
Yemen’s child soldiers: How poverty and war are pushing minors to the frontlines
Yemen’s child soldiers: How poverty and war are pushing minors to the frontlines MEE correspondent on Mon, 10/05/2026 - 09:35 A 17-year-old fighter tells MEE he joined government-aligned forces to defend his village, as rights groups warn indoctrination is fuelling recruitment A Yemeni boy carries a rifle during a Palestine solidarity rally in Sanaa, 12 July 2024 (Mohammed Huwais/AFP) Off Ibrahim is 17, but he already knows how to handle a Kalashnikov. He says he is not formally enlisted in
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CRITICAL
Yemen’s child soldiers: How poverty and war are pushing minors to the frontlines
Yemen’s child soldiers: How poverty and war are pushing minors to the frontlines MEE correspondent on Mon, 10/05/2026 - 09:35 A 17-year-old fighter tells MEE he joined government-aligned forces to defend his village, as rights groups warn indoctrination is fuelling recruitment Newly recruited Houthi fighters gather in the capital Sanaa on 2 February 2017 to mobilise more fighters (Mohammed Huwais/AFP) Off Ibrahim is 17, but he already knows how to handle a Kalashnikov. He says he is not for
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CRITICAL
Can Baghdad gain control over paramilitary groups amid US war on Iran?
Can Baghdad gain control over paramilitary groups amid US war on Iran? Zahra Ladha on Fri, 10/02/2026 - 10:18 As the state seeks to bring armed groups under its control, competing interests and external pressures stand in the way Popular Mobilisation Forces stand guard during a symbolic funeral procession celebrating the withdrawal of the US-led coalition from Iraq, in Baghdad on 1 October 2026 (Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP) Off With the US withdrawing its forces from its territories, Iraq is moving
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CRITICAL
Making a Killing: Who profits from slaughter in Gaza and Yemen?
Making a Killing: Who profits from slaughter in Gaza and Yemen? Fleur Hargreaves on Thu, 10/01/2026 - 17:23 New book by Andrew Feinstein traces $50bn in profit from the genocide in Gaza BAE Systems' stand at the Defence and Security Equipment International fair at the ExCeL centre, in east London, on 9 September 2025 (AFP/Adrian Dennis) Off “The global trade in weapons is a business that counts its profits in billions, and its losses in human lives.” This devastating balance sheet is the su
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HIGHAerial
Iran airlines resume flights to Iraq’s Najaf after US exemption
Iran airlines resume flights to Iraq’s Najaf after US exemption Iranian airlines resumed flights to Iraq’s Najaf on Sunday after the United States granted Baghdad an exemption allowing sanctioned Iranian carriers to operate to the city holy to Shia Muslims, AFP reported. On Friday, the Iraqi government said it had secured an agreement with the US allowing Iranian airlines, except Mahan Air, to operate 40 daily flights to and from Najaf. Last month, Iraq enforced the US ban on Iranian carriers,
MIDDLE EAST EYE ·
HIGHGeneral
Iran-backed militias in Iraq determined to retain arms after US withdrawal - interview
With the US military's complete withdrawal from Iraq, Baghdad projects a celebratory sense of “sovereignty” despite Iranian-backed militias retaining power there.
JERUSALEM POST ·
CRITICAL
Yemen offensive
IT appears that escalation is on the cards where the Houthi-Saudi and US-Iran conflicts are concerned. As per reports, Riyadh is planning an offensive to help the Yemeni government — which it backs — retake the strategically important Red Sea coast area from the pro-Iran Houthis, who captured it during a lightning offensive last month. Hostilities are continuing; there were reports on Saturday of both Riyadh and Sana’a being attacked. Meanwhile, members of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement are
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CRITICAL
SMOKERS’ CORNER: THE MAKING OF HAMAS
During the 1970s and 1980s, a dramatic political shift permanently altered the geopolitical topography of the Middle East and the broader Muslim world. Islamism gained momentum as secular nationalism declined. It was a collapse accelerated by the defeat of Egypt, Syria and Jordan in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. At the time, Western powers viewed Islamism, a right-wing ideology opposed to socialism and secular nationalism, as a useful counterweight to Soviet-backed nationalist regimes in Egypt, Syr
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CRITICAL
Iran welcomes exit of US forces from Iraq, calls for Washington to be held accountable
Iran welcomes exit of US forces from Iraq, calls for Washington to be held accountable Iran’s foreign ministry on Saturday has congratulated the Iraqi government and people on the exit of US and other foreign forces from Iraq. In a statement posted on its Telegram channel, the ministry said the withdrawal is “a very important and necessary step” towards consolidating Iraq’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. It accused the US of causing “irreparable consequences” for Iraq and
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HIGHAerial
Flights between Iran and Iraq's Najaf to resume on Sunday, Iraqi state news agency says
Flights between Iran and Iraq's Najaf to resume on Sunday, Iraqi state news agency says Iraq's Najaf International Airport will resume flights to and from Iran from Sunday, with three evening flights scheduled, Iraq's state news agency cited the airport as saying on Saturday. Iraq said on Friday a US waiver would allow Iranian airlines to operate up to 40 daily flights to and from Najaf, excluding Mahan Air.
MIDDLE EAST EYE ·
HIGHPolitical
Despite US sanctions on Iranian flights, up to forty a day may still fly to Iraq’s Najaf - analysis
Iraq has become central to Iran's strategic chessboard in the region as Tehran seeks to expand its influence while navigating increasing US sanctions.
JERUSALEM POST ·
HIGHGeneral
Iraq Wins U.S. Permission to Resume Iran Flights, Prime Minister Says
Flights between the neighboring countries had been halted after broad U.S. penalties on Iran’s aviation industry.
NY TIMES WORLD ·
HIGHGround
What will access to US weapons mean for Syria’s military?
LONDON: For more than four decades, Syria was on a short US list of countries barred from buying American weapons. As of this week it is free to do so, at least on paper. As US troops were completing their withdrawal from Iraq, the Trump administration announced on Wednesday that it was removing Syria from Washington’s list of countries subject to a comprehensive denial of licenses for US arms exports. This opens up a path for American companies to seek approval to sell so-called defense article
ARAB NEWS ·
CRITICAL
LA Times ad promoting Israeli tourism erases occupied Palestinian territories
LA Times ad promoting Israeli tourism erases occupied Palestinian territories MEE staff on Fri, 10/02/2026 - 16:58 The nine-day tours are touted while Israel is engaged in wars with several countries in the region An ad placed in the LA Times by the Israeli Ministry of Tourism promotes nine-day tours across the country for Americans (Screengrab/LaTimes.com) Off The Israeli Ministry of Tourism has placed a multi-page ad on the website of the LA Times newspaper, calling on Americans to come vi
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HIGHGeneral
Trump’s integration policies build on Gulf, Turkey ties and Syria success
Iran’s influence, and the potential for renewed conflict, complicate progress in Iraq.
AL MONITOR ·
CRITICAL
US sends additional Patriot batteries to Saudi Arabia and Qatar: Report
US sends additional Patriot batteries to Saudi Arabia and Qatar: Report MEE staff on Fri, 10/02/2026 - 20:15 Deployments come as the US deploys a new aircraft carrier and thousands of marines to the region US and Israeli army officers walk in front of a US Patriot missile defence system during the joint Israeli-US military exercise 'Juniper Cobra' at the Israeli Hatzor Air Force Base, on 8 March 2018 (Jack Guez/AFP) Off The US has deployed additional Patriot air defence batteries to Saudi A
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